I now have a doner engine that was runnig great, and the plan is to swap Powerheads, including all the bits attached to it (carbs, starter motor, solenoids, electrics, oil pump, etc.). But I want to make sure I do not run into the same issue again, so I am going to:
1) Change out the fuel line to be sure that air is not getting into the system and causing it to run lean
2) Change the impeller and gaskets in the lower unit
3) Check the plastic gear that drives the oil pump
Are there any other issues that may have caused the deterioration to the piston and ultimate failure that I should be checking?